"The 33"-Road Bike RacingWe set this forum up for our members to discuss their experiences in either pro or amateur racing, whether they are the big races, or even the small backyard races. Don't forget to update all the members with your own race results.

Looking at the MMP graph that Coggan talks bout in the book, he says to measure it on a weekly basis(taking an average for the week).

I don't get how this makes any sense because if my training calls for long rides of tempo or threshhold work or sprinting then its going to skew the cart. It's going to look like I'm improving/going down when in fact its just training. Am I just looking at the peaks? I mean if I do one day of sprints and I can do 1400W 5s, then I dont do sprints the rest of the week and I avg the 5s: 1400, 700, 900, 800, 500??

You are way overthinking this stuff. You are looking for specifics when it seems like you don't understand the basics.

First start with a good FTP test. If you raced on Sunday, do it on a Tuesday after a recovery day on Monday. Use the same course, same time of day, same conditions. The course doesn't have to be perfect like a velodrome. Mine is a rolling out and back so I have a flip turn in the middle. Works just fine.

Then plan on one minute tests and five minute tests. Same as above. One test each day. You can get some work in after the short tests each day but it should be under tempo. If you did them right you will feel shattered for 20 minutes or so afterwards but you should be recovered enough to ride a little if you want. Testing is training.

Run your intervals against your test data. Do them after rest days, but be sure to do them after hard days as well so that you can work on these efforts when you are tired. That is the more realistic race scenario.

You are way overthinking this stuff. You are looking for specifics when it seems like you don't understand the basics.

First start with a good FTP test. If you raced on Sunday, do it on a Tuesday after a recovery day on Monday. Use the same course, same time of day, same conditions. The course doesn't have to be perfect like a velodrome. Mine is a rolling out and back so I have a flip turn in the middle. Works just fine.

Then plan on one minute tests and five minute tests. Same as above. One test each day. You can get some work in after the short tests each day but it should be under tempo. If you did them right you will feel shattered for 20 minutes or so afterwards but you should be recovered enough to ride a little if you want. Testing is training.

Run your intervals against your test data. Do them after rest days, but be sure to do them after hard days as well so that you can work on these efforts when you are tired. That is the more realistic race scenario.

Ok going to try this.

When looking at the MMP for every week, do you average or do you just take the max value? I understand what it's suppose to be telling me or gauging but I dont understand how to graph this so it makes sense.

I don't use Training Peaks but even if I did I would not be looking at my MMP every week. What are you expecting, to gain measurable watts every week? That's unrealistic. There are too many variables. If you are going to look at MMP, look at it after your first race after the rest week after a training block.

I don't use Training Peaks but even if I did I would not be looking at my MMP every week. What are you expecting, to gain measurable watts every week? That's unrealistic. There are too many variables. If you are going to look at MMP, look at it after your first race after the rest week after a training block.

Well I wasn't planning on tracking progress week to week, but to look at a trend for month to month or 6 months to 6 months kind of like the book suggests.

I guess its just better to test max, 5s, 1min, 5min, 20min, etc every 6-8 weeks or w/e and then track progress that way. I was just trying to see how Coggan/Hunter go about it in the book.

You don't need to test every 6-8 weeks. Get a good test at the beginning of the season to set your zones, then test again as I suggested to you above. Once you have some form you can adjust a little bit without testing. Interval performance is a good indicator. If you are finishing them and you still feel like you can do more, it's probably time for a bump.

How long is a piece of string. You needed to get on a wheel that made it back. Then the power target is staying on the wheel.

My question was centered around doing it myself not wheelsucking it back to the group, I'm fully aware of the benefits of wheelsucking it back. I'm thinking its going to be 5min power that would help in a situation like that, where pacing still matters.

Also this is kind of meant more for road races with hills which I plan to do in the future. I'm just getting my fitness back with these flats/crits/etc.

You don't need to test every 6-8 weeks. Get a good test at the beginning of the season to set your zones, then test again as I suggested to you above. Once you have some form you can adjust a little bit without testing. Interval performance is a good indicator. If you are finishing them and you still feel like you can do more, it's probably time for a bump.

My question was centered around doing it myself not wheelsucking it back to the group, I'm fully aware of the benefits of wheelsucking it back. I'm thinking its going to be 5min power that would help in a situation like that, where pacing still matters.

Also this is kind of meant more for road races with hills which I plan to do in the future. I'm just getting my fitness back with these flats/crits/etc.

Do tell what are these things you call road races...

Between this and finding out there is another forum, my world has been turned upside down...

I am so messed up I actually walked into the ladies bathroom so I could sitdown and take a pee...

My question was centered around doing it myself not wheelsucking it back to the group, I'm fully aware of the benefits of wheelsucking it back. I'm thinking its going to be 5min power that would help in a situation like that, where pacing still matters.

Also this is kind of meant more for road races with hills which I plan to do in the future. I'm just getting my fitness back with these flats/crits/etc.

It's situational. For that race i stopped a few yards up the road until everyone was up and moving. I chased back going between 27 and 30. Insert power you need to go that fast. But really you should have just grabbed zac 's wheel.